2223. Whoever put it in, it had no meaning?--No, it has not, to my knowledge. 2224. Then, having no meaning, it had no operation or effect?--It had the effect of excluding any other vessels but their own, so long as it was allowed to remain. 2225. How did it have that effect?--The Peninsular and Oriental Company having vessels of 500-horse power, which no others had got, they of course obtained the contract. 2226. You came here, on the previous day, charging the Admiralty with having, in 1844, made a certain condition for the purpose of excluding you, and you have now stated that that condition was in force under the arrangement made by the East India Company as early as 1841. Will you have the goodness to explain to the Committee how it is that you attribute that to the Admiralty in 1844, which appears to have originated with the East India Company in 1841?--I was mistaken if I said it originated with the East India Company; it originated with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Company. The horse power of a vessel gives no means of knowing what the efficiency of the vessel is. There is a good deal of the evidence of the former day which is of no use, unless you allow me to explain what horse power is. Those answers, as they stand, I cannot understand myself. 2227. Do you mean to say, that unless you are to be allowed to show that the ordinary words “horse power,” when introduced into a contract, render that contract unintelligible, you cannot explain your case?--I never said that. May I be allowed to state what I do mean; it takes a little time and a little trouble to explain the meaning of “horse power.” The putting in the “horse power” had no reference to the efficiency of the steam vessels. 2228. Whatever the horse power meant in 1841, it meant in 1844?--Yes; but you are mistaken in supposing that I attribute it to the East India Company putting in that condition; I attributed it to the Peninsular and Oriental Company. 2229. We have here a contract made in 1844, by the Admiralty on one side, and the Peninsular and Oriental Company on the other; and you charge the Admiralty with having introduced a certain condition for the purpose of excluding you, and of favouring the Peninsular and Oriental Company?--No; I said that the Peninsular and Oriental Company introduced the condition as to the 400-horse power. 2230. How did they introduce it?--Because they proposed it. 2231. Do you find fault with a competitor for having proposed vessels of a higher horse power than yourself?--I do; because they did it to keep all other Companies out. 2232. What would you have had the Admiralty do?--I would have had the Admiralty go and ascertain what the vessels were, and not go upon the nominal horse power. 2233. You complain of the Admiralty going upon the individual horse power?---I do; it is a wrong system.